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Boy Scouts, Sacred Heart celebrate Day of Champions with JMCSS special education students

The local troops of the Boy Scouts of America in cooperation with Sacred Heart of Jesus High School and other officials like the Jackson Fire Department and Tennessee Wildlife Refuge Association held the 15th annual Day of Champions for the students.

Boy Scouts, Sacred Heart celebrate Day of Champions with JMCSS special education students

Special education students from Jackson-Madison County Schools enjoy their annual Day of Champions sponsored by the West TN Council of the Boy Scouts in cooperation with Sacred Heart of Jesus High School.
BRANDON SHIELDS/The Jackson Sun

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Students and teachers enjoyed the Day of Champions at Jackson Fairgrounds on Wednesday.(Photo: GAIL BAILEY/The Jackson Sun)Buy Photo

JACKSON – There are more than 300 special education students in the Jackson-Madison County Schools System, and they each got to enjoy a special day for them on Wednesday.

The local troops of the Boy Scouts of America in cooperation with Sacred Heart of Jesus High School and other officials like the Jackson Fire Department and Tennessee Wildlife Refuge Association held the 15th annual Day of Champions for the students.

John Norwood is the field director for the West Tennessee Area Council for the Boy Scouts, and he said this is a labor of love for those from the scouts who are involved with the event.

“It’s one of those things where we set out to do something nice for someone else, and they turn around and make us feel good for just being around them,” Norwood said. “And I think that’s a big reason why people from around here like Sacred Heart and other officials keep coming back every year.”

The event was set up like a fall festival under the pavilion at the Jackson Fairgrounds with carnival-style games for the students to play all around the area. They got to do that after each student was transported from their bus into the pavilion through a line of Sacred Heart cheerleaders and athletes giving them high-fives and letting them know how glad they were to see them.

“I was glad when I saw all the people here to say hi to me,” said

There were also older students from Sacred Heart dressed up as various characters from different Disney movies.

“This is the first year we’ve done that, but a few of the others walked into the room where some of the costumes were and put on whichever costume they decided to put on,” said Sacred Heart senior cheerleader Lauren Ragsdale. “I’ve come here all four years of high school and it’s one of the days I look forward to the most.”

Sacred Heart principal Anne Keyl said one of her students’ mothers told her how much her daughter was looking forward to the event.

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Disney characters and Sacred Heart of Jesus High School cheerleaders were on hand to help students celebrate Day of Champions on Wednesday.(Photo: GAIL BAILEY/The Jackson Sun)

“Her daughter is a senior, and she told her mom with tears in her eyes, ‘Mom, this is the last time I get to go to Day of Champions,’” Keyl said.

The students appeared to enjoy themselves as they played the various games, got their picture taken with characters like Mickey Mouse or Anna from the movie Frozen, and got to get into one of the fire trucks from Jackson Fire Department.

“You see these kids come in, and some of them will tell you this is one of the best days of their school year or even their life,” Norwood said. “Being able to do that … that’s why we do things like this.”

Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com or at 731-425-9751. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at editorbrandon.